Salon Hair Product Update (July 22, 2013)

Salon Hair Product Update (December 11, 2012)

Members of U.S. Congress issued letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration demanding follow-up attention to concerns issued about Brazilian Blowout and other formaldehyde containing hair smoothing products.

Salon Hair Product Update (June 1, 2012)

Federal OSHA has provided extensive information on the hazards related to hair straightening products containing formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers. Visit OSHA's site on Hair Salons for detailed information on formaldehyde in salon products and how to protect worker health.

Salon Hair Product Update (January 30, 2012)

Salon Hair Product Update (November 30, 2011)

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Board posted "Ingredients found unsafe for use in cosmetics" (11 total, through November 2011). Included on this list is formaldehyde and methylene glycol due to sensory irritation and carcinogenicity. It is noted that "formaldehyde and methylene glycol are unsafe in the present practices of use and concentration in hair smoothing products."

Salon Hair Product Update (November 18, 2011)

The People of the State of California filed papers in support of a motion to enjoin sales of the Brazilian Blowout Smoothing Solution with a hearing scheduled on November 17, 2011. The Hearing was postponed until December 16, 2011. The memos and documents filed are publicly available. View the "Points and Authorities" memo.

Salon Hair Product Update (November 1, 2011)

A scientific publication, Characterization of Formaldehyde Exposure Resulting from the Use of Four Professional Hair Straightening Products was published in the November issue of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene. View the abstract.

Oregon OSHA and CROET received a Spotlight Award for Issue Management from the Public Relations Society of America, Portland Chapter. Read more about this in our Blog.

Salon Hair Product Update (September 27, 2011)

OSHA also posted a letter to the manufacturer of Brazilian Blowout identifying over-exposures resulting from use of the Brazilian Blowout Acai Professional Smoothing Solution and demanding that the company remove false and misleading statements from their website and send letters to salons retracting previous claims. View letter.

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Board (CIR) will conclude their fall meeting today, including making final determinations of formaldehyde/methylene glycol in hair smoothing products. See the CIR's final assessment for formaldehyde here.

Salon Hair Product Update (September 7, 2011)

The FDA has issued a letter to the makers of the Brazilian Blowout smoothing solution, identifying the product adulterated and misbranded. Read the letter.

"To summarize the Expert Panel’s revised tentative amended conclusion:
1. formaldehyde and methylene glycol are safe for use in cosmetics applied to the skin when formulated to ensure use at the minimal effective concentration, but in no case should formaldehyde equivalents exceed 0.074% (w/w).
2. the available data are insufficient to determine the safety of formaldehyde and methylene glycol as used in nail hardening products, until additional data on use concentrations are available from FDA or industry.
3. formaldehyde and methylene glycol are unsafe for use in hair smoothing products, the use of which involves application of high temperatures."

Salon Hair Product Update (June 13, 2011)

Federal OSHA added Background Information to their Hazard Alert on Hair Smoothing Products. Included in this is additional information from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and an updated timeline.

NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) released a Health Hazard Evaluation provided to a salon. In this letter they encourage the salon to discontinue the use of formaldehyde-containing hair products.

Salon Hair Product Update (May 12, 2011)

Ten members of Congress have sent a letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expressing their concern regarding excessive formaldehyde concentrations in some hair smoothing products and asking the agency to take immediate action to protect workers and summers. Download the letter.

Federal OSHA just released a Hazard Alert: Hair Smoothing Products That Could Release Formaldehyde. In this alert it is specified that "during one investigation, Federal OSHA's air tests showed formaldehyde at levels greater than OSHA's limit in a salon using Brazilian Blowout Acai Professional Smoothing Solution, even though the product was labeled "formaldehyde-free." Read this alert for more details and to learn about the hazards of formaldehyde.

Health Canada has released a list of an additional 11 hair smoothing products that have formaldehyde exceeding the 0.2% set by Health Canada. Read the Advisory.

Salon Hair Product Update (March 25, 2010)

The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) has released a podcast describing the initial phases of the Brazilian Blowout investigation, and its beginnings in Oregon. Listen to the podcast.

Salon Hair Product Update (March 14, 2011)

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Board (CIR) reaffirmed its 2005 conclusion that formaldehyde/methylene glycol should not exceed 0.2% when used in cosmetics, including "professional use only" hair lightening and smoothing products. The CIR further added that it could not conclude "that formaldehyde/methylene glycol is safe in cosmetic products intended to be aerosolized or in which formaldehyde/methylene glycol vapor or gas will be produced under conditions of use."

Additionally, CROET is aware of information provided by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) noting formaldehyde use in cosmetics as "safe with the following qualification: … ≤0.2% as free Formaldehyde, but keep to minimum; and should not be used in products intended to be aerosolized." CROET urges continuing conversations about the safety of these products among those agencies and manufacturers responsible for such determinations.

Salon Hair Update (October 11, 2010)

Salon Hair Update (October 7, 2010)

Health Canada issued an alert today, October 7, 2010 "warning Canadians that Brazilian Blowout Solution manufactured by Brazilian Blowout of California has been found to contain unacceptable levels of formaldehyde....Testing conducted by Health Canada found that the Brazilian Blowout Solution contains 12% formaldehyde." More information from Health Canada.

Salon Hair Update (October 1, 2010)

We have new information to add to our updates below. Please carefully read this update along with the previously posted alerts on this topic.

Laboratory Analysis:

CROET received the written lab analytical report from Oregon OSHA on the second sample (Acai Professional Smoothing Solution labeled "formaldehyde free"). In addition to the previously reported formaldehyde (identified in concentrations using four different testing methods at 10.6%, 6.3%, 10.6% and 10.4%) this product was also found to contain methanol, ethanol, 1-hexadecenanol, and phenol. The concentrations of these final four chemicals was not determined, and formaldehyde is still considered to be the highest priority at this time. Oregon OSHA has also reported to news media analytical results from a container from a third Portland-area salon of the Acai Professional Smoothing Solution labeled "formaldehyde free." Two separate test methods used to analyze this product detected formaldehyde concentrations at 8.4% and 8.6% respectively. The laboratory will continue to report results from other hair straightener products as they are analyzed.

Recommendations:

Due to these findings, it is recommended that salons either cease using this specific brand of hair straightener or take full precautions as identified by OSHA's Formaldehyde Standard. Information on the formaldehyde standard can be found online through the OSHA in your state. Oregon OSHA's formaldehyde standard can be found here.

Salons should recognize the potential for formaldehyde or other hazardous chemicals to be present in other brands of chemical hair straighteners. Salons are urged to carefully evaluate and request science-based information on the ingredients, including accurate material safety data sheets, and to not use products until such information is available or provided. Oregon OSHA and CROET will continue to provide information on this topic as it is available.

Salon Hair Product Update (September 24, 2010)

Note: Please carefully read this update and the previously posted September 16, 2010 alert on this site.

Update on Laboratory Analysis:

As reported in our September 16 Emerging Issues and Alert post, CROET has been awaiting the analytical results for a second sample submitted by CROET through Oregon OSHA's Consultation Program. This second sample is of a product named Acai Professional Smoothing Solution (formaldehyde free) originally shipped by Brazilian Blowout to a Portland, Oregon area salon on 8/12/2010. Since September 16, 2010, CROET has been contacted by a number of stylists expressing concern about health effects they report having experienced while using both of the hair formulations.

Laboratory Findings:

The original container, which is labeled "formaldehyde free," was delivered to Oregon OSHA by CROET for sample analysis on September 1, 2010. The Oregon OSHA laboratory analyzed the sample using four different test methods. Formaldehyde was reported to be detected by each method at 10.6%, 6.3%, 10.6% and 10.4% of the product.

CROET Actions Taken:

Requested that Oregon OSHA contact California OSHA to evaluate the accuracy of material safety data sheets provided to employers using Brazilian Blowout, which is a California-based company. CROET will also be working jointly with Oregon OSHA to address other related concerns as they arise, including alerting Federal OSHA to the issue.

Submitted a report to the Food and Drug Administration regarding branding of the cosmetic.

Submitted a report to the California Department of Public Health regarding the 2005 California Safe Cosmetic Act which collects and reports to the public information on hazardous and potentially hazardous ingredients in cosmetic products sold in California.

Recommendations and Resources:

This alert targets only one brand of hair straightener because this product was the one used by the stylists seeking assistance through CROET's Toxicology Information Center. CROET recognizes that other brands used for the same purpose may contain hazardous ingredients. CROET encourages further discussion and testing of related products to ensure that stylists and those receiving hair treatments are being accurately informed and protected.

CROET recommends that all stylists and consumers educate themselves on the cosmetics and personal care products that they are using and seek information about potentially hazardous ingredients from manufacturers and distributors of these products. Users should also consider how the product is to be used, and if an action (such as heating with flat irons) may increase exposure potential.

Stylists and consumers looking for science-based information should be aware of information provided by the Cosmetic Ingredient Board (CIR) available at: http://www.cir-safety.org. Although it is not currently mandated that manufacturers follow the CIR recommendations, the CIR can be a useful source of information. For example, the CIR notes formaldehyde use in cosmetics as "safe with the following qualification: … ≤0.2% as free Formaldehyde, but keep to minimum; and should not be used in products intended to be aerosolized." (http://www.cir-safety.org/findings.shtml)

More information on occupational health and safety in the beauty and salon industry is available at:http://www.croetweb.com/links.cfm?topicID=75. CROET will be creating an alert relating to this issue and users will find it listed here when it is available.

Further questions can be emailed to croetweb@ohsu.edu

Salon Hair Product (September 16, 2010)

The Problem

CROET was contacted by a salon based in Portland, Oregon, regarding a product used in their salon that had caused difficulty breathing, nose bleeds and eye irritation in stylists using the product as directed. The salon discontinued the use of the product, due to these adverse effects. The product, named Brazilian Blowout Solution, is used as a hair straightener and is heated with flat irons during the treatment process. The material safety data sheet accompanying the product listed no hazardous ingredients or impurities. No chemical ingredients label appears on the container. This specific product was shipped on 8/31/2009 from Brazilian Blowout and is described as “34 oz/1-Liter Brazilian Blowout Solution.”

Findings

CROET requested consultative services through Oregon OSHA to chemically analyze this product. The original container was delivered to Oregon OSHA for analysis. Test results demonstrated that the product contains 4.85% formaldehyde. The product also was found to contain methanol, ethanol, beta hydroxyl ethyl methacrylate, and hexadecanol.

Formaldehyde is classified as a probable human carcinogen and mutagen. Formaldehyde is also corrosive and can severely irritate or damage the skin, mouth, eyes and throat. Formaldehyde may cause a skin allergy and an asthma-like allergy. Employers who expose employees to this chemical are subject to the OSHA Formaldehyde Standard requiring training, air monitoring, personal protective equipment to prevent exposure, and in some cases, medical surveillance. OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard also requires any employer with employees working with hazardous materials to provide effective training and accurate material safety data sheets to identify hazardous materials and how to prevent exposure. If a product contains more than 0.1% formaldehyde, OSHA requires the manufacturer to list it on the material safety data sheet.

CROET is awaiting analytical results for a product named Acai Professional Smoothing Solution (formaldehyde free) originally shipped by Brazilian Blowout on 8/12/2010. We will report on the analytical finding for this sample as we receive it.

Recommendation

CROET is requesting that OSHA investigate why material safety data sheets accompanying this product do not identify the hazardous constituents. CROET recommends salons using this product to contact the manufacturer to request material safety data sheets that accurately identify any hazardous ingredients, and consider evaluating less toxic alternatives. CROET recommends that consumers become informed about the possible toxicities of the salon services they are requesting, and learn about healthier alternatives.

E.P.A. Tightens Limits on Sulfur Dioxide (June 7, 2010)

June 2, 2010 - The Environmental Protection Agency strengthened the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for sulfur dioxide.

Cadmium Found in Children's Products (Jan 11, 2010)

Cadmium is illegal in children's toys in more than trace amounts but is not specifically banned. Some Chinese manufacturers have substituted cadmium for lead, which has been banned from use in their products.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has launched an investigation and is urging all toy manufacturers around the world to keep a closer eye not only on cadmium, but also antimony and barium being used in place of lead.